Upgrading public transit could attract corporations to MetroWest

FRAMINGHAM – MetroWest is home to several large, global corporations, but a lack of public transportation could prevent more corporate giants from coming to the region.

Public transportation options are often a key factor when major corporations decide where to locate, William Kennedy, an asset manager at National Development, told guests Friday at the annual MetroWest Economic Research Center (MERC) Conference hosted by Framingham State University. He cited two companies that recently showed interest in moving into the 9/ 90 Corporate Center in Framingham but opted to move to the New Balance corporate office in Brighton because of better access to public transportation.

"It is definitely the first or second question they ask," Kennedy said about mass transit.

Improving public transit and decreasing traffic on major roads in the MetroWest region, including the Mass. Pike, Rte. 9 and Interstate 495, are two of the region's biggest issues. Local transportation officials said innovative investments in public transportation are needed to alleviate traffic problems that have persisted for years. For example, people who work in Framingham have a 27.5-minute commute on average compared to the national average of 24.8 minutes, according to U.S. Census data from 2015.

"Traffic congestion is the biggest barrier to providing good transportation in our area," Ed Carr, executive director of the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority, said. "...It's a battle against traffic congestion."

MetroWest officials can look to other areas for solutions. In Burlington, some corporations at a technology park offer workers a shuttle from the Alewife Red Line station to their offices and back. About 70 employees use the shuttle each day. The cost to the employees is about $30 a month.

Stephanie Hirshon, executive director of the MetroWest/495 Transportation Management Association, stressed the need for municipalities to provide access to shuttles that travel in and out of Boston to lessen congestion. A state-subsidized commuter bus from Marlborough to downtown Boston ceased operations in September – less than a year after the $420,000 pilot program began – due to a lack of ridership.

Everyday about 20,000 Marlborough residents commute to jobs outside the city while the same number of people commute to jobs in Marlborough. The majority of commuters do not carpool, creating more traffic. More than 74 percent of Framingham commuters drove to and from work alone, according to the 2015 U.S. Census. Statistics like that need to decrease, said Hirshon.

"We're at a critical time here...We need to get commuters away from single occupancy vehicles."

If the state continues to build roads the same way they do today, traffic congestion will continue wreak havoc on commuters, said Carr. He hopes in the future there will be a dedicated HOV lane on Interstate 495 and the Mass. Pike for only tractor-trailers and rapid transit buses taking commuters from MetroWest to Boston and vice versa. That plan would significantly reduce the amount of wear and tear on other highway lanes.

“Maintenance would plummet,” Carr said.

Improved infrastructure for bikers and walkers would also decrease traffic problems, said Hirshon.

The demand for bike paths has increased dramatically, she said.

Officials graded the region's transportation system as average, but said there is a significant amount of room for improvement.

"Given the fact we're in the middle of the two largest cities in New England, we are not a great connector," said Carr.

Jeff Malachowski can be reached at 508-490-7466 or jmalachowski@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @JmalachowskiMW.